Intervertebral spinal inserts are used to provide support and maintain normal distance between adjacent vertebrae in cases where a patient's vertebral discs have degenerated. Such degeneration can occur as a result of aging or trauma and typically results in pinched or damaged nerves between or proximal to the adjacent vertebrae. Moreover, such discal degeneration causes shifting of the loading along the patient's spinal column, which in turn further accelerates the vertebral degeneration.
Intervertebral inserts are typically used to reestablish normal intervertebral spacing and to cause fusion between adjacent vertebral bodies.
A common problem with the existing intervertebral spinal inserts is that they do not provide stabilization in two perpendicular directions in the plane of the patient's intervertebral space.
Another disadvantage is that, during such major surgery, the actual insertion of the intervertebral insert requires distraction of the adjacent vertebrae to first open a sufficiently large passage for the insertion of the insert therebetween. Such distraction is typically performed by dedicated instrumentation and invasive tools which must first enter the intervertebral space and then grip and hold apart the adjacent vertebrae.
Moreover, the shape of current inserts does not take advantage of the natural contoured shape of the adjacent vertebral surfaces such that an intervertebral insert can be provided which supports itself flush against the contour of the vertebral surfaces with the vertebrae being supported at a proper lordotic angle.